BAY CITY, MI — Brandon DeFrain, a recent candidate for the Bay County Board of Commissioners, has been elected chairman of the Bay County Republican Party.

Slated to begin a two-year term on Jan. 1, DeFrain, 31, says he looks forward to boosting the Republican party's local outreach — something he says local Democrats already do well.

"You look in the last election, there were a lot of people who didn't vote," said DeFrain, who lost a race to Bay County Commissioner Michael Duranczyk, D-1st District, 2,734-2,374. "Maybe a stronger Republican outreach would have helped my race."

Meet Brandon DeFrain

Age: 31

Address: 314 Van Etten St., Pinconning

Education High school diploma from the Wenona Center, 2001; courses at Delta College; attended Sharp School of Real Estate

Professional Experience: Assistant manager at The Home Depot in Houghton Lake; previously worked as a loan officer and as a manager at ABC Warehouse.

Political experience: 2014 Republican candidate for Bay County Board in 1st District; 2012 Republican write-in candidate for Bay County Treasurer; Republican campaign work in 2008 and on multiple 2012 election bids.

Family: Wife, Chelsey DeFrain; one daughter

DeFrain was first active with the Bay County Republican Party in 2012, when he ran as a write-in candidate for Bay County Treasurer and did door-to-door campaigning for Republicans like Mitt Romney and state Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville. His 2014 election bid was aimed at Bay County's 1st District seat, and during his campaign he raised issues ranging from lower property taxes to improving local roads.

DeFrain was additionally a strong advocate for communicating with constituents, a cause he still champions in his new role; among his ideas for outreach are meetings where constituents can meet candidates and party officials.

"I would like to have some get-out-the-vote events, voter drives, things like that," he said, adding that local Democrats already do a good job of establishing their "presence" in the county. "They have a very large group, they have a lot of boots on the ground, and I think it's important that the Republican Party does the same thing."

He also remarked on his vision for his chairmanship, which he said he hopes exhibits the same degree of "positive energy" he brought to his recent campaign. Additionally, he said, he wants to make sure in particular that women and minorities feel welcome in the party.

DeFrain was vague on his vision for the Republican Party's platform, and said that forming a party's philosophy is a group decision that he can only make alongside fellow party members. He did note, though, that he supports lower taxes and less government.

"There are delegates, so I can't go out and say where we are on one issue or another issue until we have our first meeting," DeFrain said.

Vaughn BegickSam Easter | seaster@mlive.com

DeFrain replaces Matt Lance as party chairman.

DeFrain said Lance did not seek re-election to the post.

His election came at a Monday, Dec. 1, county convention, where he was nominated by Randy Badgerow, another recent Republican candidate for the County Board who was bested by Democrat Tom Herek in the 5th District.

County Commissioner Vaughn Begick, R-3rd District, said he looks forward to working with DeFrain.

"I think he'll do a fine job. He ran an energetic campaign — young guy, interested in politics," he said. "I think he'll be a good chairman. I'm sure we'll be supporting him as best we can."

DeFrain said he looks forward to his new role with the party.

"I'm excited, I'm ready to go," he said.

— Sam Easter is a general assignment reporter for The Bay City Times. He can be reached at seaster@mlive.com.